#30DaysWild Drawing Breath

It's Friday, which is as good a time as any to draw breath and round up my Wildlife Trusts' #30DaysWild moments.

It's been a week of grim news, starting with the appalling gun attack on a gay nightclub in Orlando, USA and ending with the murder of Jo Cox, an MP who had campaigned for the most vulnerable people on the planet. It was a relief to be able to dip into the #30DaysWild Twitter stream, which is full of cheerful pictures of wildlife and people engaging with nature.  For more, see MyWildLife, where bloggers describe their #30DaysWild adventures.

Day 10 - Taking advantage


Starlings taking advantage of the short grass - Uckfield garden.

I was a little sad, when our grass was cut, to lose the buttercups and pretty grass-heads but our local starlings were quick to take advantage, searching the ground for leather jackets and other treats.

Frothy white blossom of Robinia - Uckfield garden.

Later in the day, I took advantage of a spare moment to listen to the buzzing bees and look up at the frothy white blossom of our Robinia tree, which is now at its best.

Three-cornered leek - destined for a salad.

After work, I foraged in the garden and took revenge on a garden invader.

I wrote about Day 11 in my post about my visit to the Hempstead Meadow Nature Reserve.

Day 12 - A rainy Sunday

Early in the day, I was looking out over the garden, when I heard the laughing call of a green woodpecker.

 

laughing woodpecker

flies under darkening skies

to feed hungry brood

As it was raining for much of the morning, I spent some time going over my Bioblitz results.  I was surprised by how much I had found out by simply observing the creatures in my garden and then looking for identifications in Facebook groups etc.

Day 13 - More Rain

Water gurgling into the water butt.

Monday I grabbed a moment to put my head out of the front door and listen to birds singing in the rain and water gurgling into the water butt. 

Day 14 - Flowers on the way to Birmingham

Spotted Orchids by the side of the road. 

The previous evening, I had become concerned about articles and letters in the local press complaining about the unmown verges. I dashed off a letter to the local paper praising the mowing regime that had preserved Orchids and other flowers. The sight of them brightened a dull morning.

Fern and a glimpse of bunting from the Queen's birthday celebrations.

I also found wall bellflower, yellow corydalis and ferns clinging to the town's old walls.

Ox-eye daisies at Ashurst Station.

I travelled up to Birmingham, running in and out of the rain.  Looking up from my work, I saw many wild flowers from ox-eye daisies at Ashurst station to purple Fox gloves smothering embankments.  Shortly before Coventry, I glimpsed a field full of red poppies.